End of Life and Palliative Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Serious Illnesses (R01) | Apply Online

FAQs: NIH R01 Funding Opportunity PA 15-324 (AYA End-of-Life and Palliative Care)

1) What is PA 15-324?

PA 15-324 is an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for an R01 research grant focused on improving end-of-life and palliative care for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with serious, advanced illness.

2) What is the main purpose of this FOA?

The FOA aims to strengthen the evidence base on what seriously ill AYAs want and need as they face advanced illness, including how they think about illness, what matters most to them, and how they make decisions about care. A key emphasis is on capturing AYA perspectives directly, rather than relying only on adult-centered assumptions or proxy reports.

3) Who counts as an adolescent and young adult (AYA) in this opportunity?

For this FOA, AYA are defined as ages 12 to 24, drawing on World Health Organization and CDC definitions referenced in the opportunity description.

4) What kinds of research questions does the FOA encourage?

The FOA specifically seeks research that examines the unique preferences, wishes, and decision-making processes of AYAs with serious, advanced illnesses. This includes how AYAs communicate about prognosis and goals of care, how they weigh tradeoffs between quality of life and life-prolonging treatments, and how developmental and social factors shape their choices.

5) Why does the FOA emphasize AYA perspectives instead of relying on adults or proxies?

The opportunity highlights that AYA end-of-life and palliative care needs may not align with adult-centered palliative care assumptions. It therefore emphasizes understanding the views of AYAs themselves instead of relying only on proxy reports from adults.

6) What decision-making topics are specifically mentioned?

Topics called out include communication about prognosis and goals of care, decision-making about treatment, and how AYAs consider tradeoffs between quality of life and life-prolonging interventions.

7) What developmental or social factors does the FOA say may influence AYA choices?

The FOA notes that developmental stage, identity formation, peer relationships, family dynamics, and emerging autonomy can shape how AYAs think about illness and make care decisions.

8) Does the FOA support research involving families and caregivers?

Yes. The FOA supports research on the experiences and needs of families and caregivers and recognizes that AYA care often involves complex shared decision making among patients, parents/guardians, partners, and clinical teams.

9) Is this opportunity only about describing needs, or can it include testing care approaches?

It includes both. In addition to studies that describe needs and perspectives, the FOA encourages research that develops, adapts, tests, or rigorously evaluates end-of-life and palliative care (EOLPC) models designed specifically for AYA populations.

10) What is meant by "EOLPC models" in the context of this FOA?

EOLPC refers to end-of-life and palliative care approaches. The FOA encourages models specifically designed for AYAs and expected to address multiple dimensions of suffering and support.

11) What dimensions of care are highlighted as important for AYA EOLPC models?

The FOA highlights multiple dimensions, including:

• Physical symptoms (for example: pain, nausea, fatigue, dyspnea)
• Psychological and emotional distress (for example: anxiety, depression, fear, coping)
• Spiritual or existential concerns (for example: meaning, hope, grief, beliefs)
• Social needs (for example: relationships, school or work disruption, social media and peer connections, isolation, caregiver burden)

12) Does the FOA expect interventions to be developmentally appropriate?

Yes. The intent is to identify approaches that are developmentally appropriate for AYAs and that work in real clinical contexts where AYAs receive care.

13) Can research span both pediatric and adult health care systems?

Yes. The FOA notes that AYA care may occur across pediatric and adult systems, and it supports work that functions in real clinical contexts that may span both.

14) What funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?

This FOA uses the NIH R01 mechanism, which is a standard research project grant.

15) Is this a discretionary federal funding opportunity?

Yes. The listing describes it as a discretionary federal funding opportunity.

16) When was the FOA posted and created?

It was posted and created on August 7, 2015.

17) What were the application due dates?

The original and final application due date listed for this FOA was January 7, 2019.

18) Is this FOA still active?

No. It was archived on February 7, 2019.

19) Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The listing indicates there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning non-federal matching funds are not required as a condition of the award.

20) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic and non-domestic organizations, such as higher education institutions, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and various government entities.

21) Are U.S. colleges and universities eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education.

22) Are nonprofits eligible, including those without 501(c)(3) status?

Yes. Eligible applicants include nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status.

23) Are for-profit organizations eligible, including small businesses?

Yes. Eligible applicants include for-profit organizations, including small businesses and other for-profit entities.

24) Are state and local government entities eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include state governments and a range of local government entities such as county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments.

25) Are independent school districts eligible?

Yes. Independent school districts are listed among eligible government entities.

26) Are public housing authorities eligible?

Yes. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities are included in the eligibility list.

27) Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments are eligible, and tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments) are also listed as eligible.

28) Are tribally controlled colleges and universities eligible?

Yes. Tribally controlled colleges and universities are explicitly included.

29) Are minority-serving institutions and similar categories specifically called out as eligible?

Yes. The FOA explicitly notes eligibility for categories including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions (AANAPISIs).

30) Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed as eligible.

31) Are regional organizations eligible?

Yes. Regional organizations are listed among eligible applicants.

32) Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed as eligible.

33) Are federal agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. Federal agencies are included in the eligibility list.

34) Are non-U.S. (foreign) entities eligible?

Yes. Foreign (non-U.S.) entities are explicitly listed as eligible.

35) What program areas or CFDA listings are associated with this FOA?

The FOA falls under several NIH-related program areas and CFDA listings, including women’s health research, nursing research, multiple cancer research categories (cause and prevention, treatment, and control), and child health and human development extramural research.

36) Where can applicants find the official FOA announcement?

NIH provided an online link to the FOA on the NIH grants site (as referenced in the opportunity information).

37) Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing or linking to the FOA notice?

For technical issues accessing or linking to the notice, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.